Lifting apparatus



23, 1932- M. H. LEMAIRE ET AL 1,873,712

LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l li l lz V ill 3 r7 um m 4 majre vf R aka/Mew Aug. 23, 1932. M. H. LEMAIRE ET AL LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 i c U TED STATES PATENT? OFFICE i MAURICE HENRI LEMAIRE, or vnnnivcrnivnns, AND LOUIS PAUL GUILBER'I, or PARIS, FRANCE a 1.1mm APPARATUS Application filed January 4, 1929, Serial No. 330,314; and in France January 5, 1928.

- The present invention is directed to improvements in lifting apparatus. J

' The primary object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character so constructed that railway ties,'sleepers and the like can be easily and quickly lifted or released. I

Another object of the invention is'to provide an apparatusof this kind wherein the w ties or sleepers can be handled expeditiously,

with a minimum number of workmen.

While the apparatus is primarily designed for use in connection with railway construction work, it is not necessarily limited to 15 such-use. l A p In the accompanying drawings: a Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. 1

' Fig. 2 is .a front View of the same. 2 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view.

Fig. 3 is a partial -elevation,' illustrating the automatic'trippingmember.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modification of the automatic tripping device.

ig. 5' is a side view of this modification.

The apparatus comprises a rod 1 having pivotally conne'ct'ed'to its inner ends, as at 2 and 2, arms 3 and 3. "The outer ends of the arms are pivotally connected to the inner ends of levers 5 and 5 having annularly disposed terminals 6 and 6 constituting gripping fingers, the purpose ofwhich will appear later. The outer ends of the levers have secured thereto rings 8 and 8 and to which are secured the lower ends of the cables 9 and 9, said cables being so arranged that they may be-slacked at times. 1 z

To the ends of theirod l are secured the lower ends of the normally taut cables 10 and 10",'the upper ends thereof being secured adjacent the 'ends'of the frame 11. The ties or sleepers T to be lifted are provided with sockets 12 and 12 and to lift the same the rod'l is placed thereabove and the fingers 6 and 6" can then be conveniently placed in the sockets upon slacking the cables 9 and 9'. The frame is then lifted in any approved manner in the direction of the .arrow'f whereupon the stress imparted upon the cables *10 and 10 will cause shown, may be connected.

"and slidably engages in an angular slot 22 the fingers to bind in the sockets 12 and 12', as will be obvious. It will, therefore,=be noted that upon lifting the frame 11 the ties or sleepers will be likewise lifted. i The frame 11 may then be lowered until 5 the tie rests upon the ground or other support whereupon the cables 9 and 9' will be slacked to enable the fingers 6 and 6 to be conveniently moved from engagement in the sockets. '5 5 As shown in Fig. 2 the levers'5 and 5' are provided at their inner ends with slots 72 in order that they may be slidably connected with the arms 3 and 3'. By providing the slots 7 2, the levers may be adjusted axially for engagement with sockets varying in distances apart.

An automatic tripping device. is employed and serves to lift the frame 11, the arrangement of the frame being such that a number of ties can be lifted and lowered, as indicated in Figs. 1 and2, wherein S, S and S indicate positions of the levers 5 and 5 and G ,"G,and G2 thepositions of the fingers. I

Owing to the fact that the cables 9 and 9' can be slacked, the ties can be conveniently engaged even if they are not resting in uniform parallel relationship.

The tripping device consists of a socket element 15 in which is slidable an axis 14:, said axis being connected with the frame by tie rods 13 and 13'. The socket element hasa ring 16 upon its upper end and to which the cables of a suitable lifting mechanism, not

The axis is normally held in its uppermost position by an encircling coil spring 17, which rests upon the bottom of the socket element and has a washer 18, which is carried 5 by the axis resting upon its upper end, there being a nut 19 to hold the parts in assembled relationship.

A stud 20 is carried by the socket element formed in the member 21. The slotted end of the member 21 also carries a stud 23 adapted to slidably engage in the longitudinal slot 24 formed in thearm' 25 of the T-shaped lever 26, there being a counterweight 27 slidably adjusted on said lever. The lever is pivoted to the socket element 15, as at 26.

The member 21 terminates in a depending rod 28 pivotally connected to the arm 29 of an angle lever, the arm 30 thereof having its lowenend pi-votally' connected tothe inner ends 'of the links 33*and 33. "This lever is pivotally supported, as at 31 by brackets 32 mounted on the frame 11. ,7

"Bell crank levers are PIVOtal'lY connected to the ends of the frame, as at 36 and 36, the" arms 34 and 3a thereof being connected to the outer ends of the respective links 33 and 33". The uppenendsof the cables 9-and 9 aresedownwardly in the socket element 15 and compresses the spring 17." Themember 21 and rod 28move downwardly relative to the socket element-15 so that'thclslot 22 slides on the stud 20, said stud abutting the .upper 1 horizontal wall ofsaid slot, as shown in Fig.

3. Simultaneously the stud 23, sliding in the slot 24 reaches the bottom of the slot and by the action :of the counterweight .27 the member' 21 is drawn by the stud 23 andis moved laterally, whereupon the stud' 20: reaches the end .Of thewupper horizontal part of the: slot 22. fAt thi s moment the ties being lifted, the member :21 .is held stationary by the arm 25, the lifting of the ties then proceeds, and finally the ties are either pl-aced'on the ground onontheplatformof a wagon. ;At the time the ties-orsleepers touch the ground, theaxis 14, being relieved of the weight of the-ties,

moves upwardly inthe socket-element 15 by .thea'ctiontof the spring 17 and. themember 21 while immobilized on the stud 20, moves downwardly-relatively to the frame *11 ,and tie 13. 2 'Due to the movementof the members 2930-,T333 1,;andT35,-thecables 9 and 9 are pulled upwardly upon-movementof the members 33-34and 35,. i The-fingers 6. and G can then--moveout;of the sockets in the ties. Due tothepresenceof the axis 36 and. 36-. ,the same action is simultaneously :produced' on the side systems S and S The disengagement of :the: fingers-from thesockets takes place-instantaneously and automatically. Due to the expansion of thespring 17 the fingers automatically move away-from the ties, as

soon as the tie is at rest.

vIn order that the apparatus is returned to its'loaded position, it suffices to actuate, through ahandle 37 acable' 38to which it is attached, .to cause the. weighted lever to. rock,

thus returning the apparatus to its initial position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modified form of the invention as shown in Fig. 5, in lieu of the counterweight 27, a small spring 64 is provided and is threaded on a piston 65;ha vinga shoulder 66. The end of the piston is-fitted -in a member..67 and contacts with a rod 68 slidable vertically with respect to the socket element. The rod-68 is-providedat its upperpa-rt with whole 69 in which fits the head of the piston .Whcnuthe rod is in its lowermost position.

The rod is, therefore, held stationary and released only if a .pull is exerted on the milled knob 70 of the piston.

* When theapparatus is under load, the axis 71 moves down-pin .the socket 755, and-coinpressesi the-spring 78." The rod- -68 follows therelative movement of the-axis 71. TWhen the'objectxgraspeduis brought down onthe ground or upon any other support, the axis 71 moves upwardly in the socket element, but the rod;-68- doesanot follow, since it is held stationary by the end. of the piston engaged in; the -hole-'69. The rod68 then 9- through the medium of the links 76 and 7 67?, and 77 and 77, the latter being pivoted as at=781and 78 on the frame 11. Thegrasping members engaged with the object can then move. apart and the-objectis released. For returning the. device. to its initial -position, it is only necessary to exert an outward pull on, the; knob 7 0, and;-;the :jaws- ,of'the grasping device close -under their own weight, and through i the; medium ofjthe cables and levers, thG'I'OdBSiWillIiSG.

. NVe claim 1. A device of the class described comprising a rod, an arm-Epivoted-on each end of the rod, levers 'pivotally and slidably connected to each :arm, a grasping means. at the end of each lever, a frame, cables-connecting the-frame andlevers, second cables having their vupperends connected with 'theframe and. the-lower ends connected'wi th the ends ofthe rodwand means carried by the frame connected with the arms, a grasping means on the-.end .of. each i'of the levers, tautcables 1' connecting the :ends of the=rod :and frame,

second cables connecting the levers, means for lifting theframe, and means pivotally mounted on the frame and connected to the second cables for actuating said levers to cause engagement'or disengagement of the grasping means with the work.

.3. A device :of the class described comprising a frame, asocket element, a pulling axis shdable. in the socket: element, tie rods exerts apul'l on the ends .of; thecahles 9 and connecting the frame to the axis, a spring encircling the axis and resting on the bottom of the socket element, a stud on the socket element, a member movable relatively to the stud and having a right angle slot formed therein, a second stud on said ele ment, an armed lever pivotally mounted on said element, one arm of which is provided with a slot in which is guided the second stud, a counterweight on another arm of said lever, a rod rigid with the socket element, a support mounted on the frame, means operable by said rod for actuating the latter levers on said support.

4. A device of the class described comprising a frame, levers pivotally mounted on the frame, a socket element above the frame, a pulling axis slidable in the socket member, a spring in said socket element encircling the pulling axis, a stud carried by the element, a member having a right angle slot formed therein slidably engaged with the stud, a second stud carried by the socket element, a lever pivotally mounted on the socket element and comprising angularly disposed arms, one arm having a slot therein for engaging the second stud, a counterweight on the other arm of the lever, an angle lever pivotally mounted on the frame, a rod connecting the member and one arm of the angle lever, a rod having grasping levers pivotally and slidably connected with its ends, cables connecting the latter rod and frame, and second cables, the latter cables connecting the levers of the frame and the grasping levers, and means on the frame to give slack to the second cables, as and'for the purpose set forth.

5. A device of the class described comprising a socket element having axis slidable therein, a spring in the socket element urg ing said axis upwardly therein, a stud on the socket element, a member slidable relatively to the socket member and having communicating vertical and horizontal slots therein for slidably receiving the stud, a lever pivotally mounted on the socket-element and including angularly disposed arms, one arm of said levervhaving a slot therein, a second stud carried by the sliding member and slidably engagecl in said slot, a counterweight supported by the lever to move the member laterally in one direction to cause the first mentioned stud to engage the horizontal slot of the member upon relative sliding movement of the socket element and axis, and grasping mechanism operable by the slotted member to grasp and release an object upon elevating and lowering the socket element.

6. A device of the class described comprising a frame, a socket element having a spring restrained pulling axis slidable therein, tie rods connecting the frame and axis, said frame having an angle lever upon its ends, a stud carried by the socket element, a sliding member having an angle slot therein guided on the stud, a counterbalanced lever pivotally mounted on the socket element and including an arm having a slot therein, a stud carried by the sliding member, said studs slidably engaging the slot of the lever arm, a support mounted on the frame, an angle lever carried by the support, links connecting one end of the latter lever with the angle lever of the frame, grasping means supported below the frame, and flexible con nections between the grasping means and said angle levers of the frame. i

7. A device of the class described comprising a rigid frame, a socket element, a pulling axis slidable in the socket element, tie rods connecting the frame and axis, levers pivotally mounted on the frame, a spring in the socket encircling the pulling axis, a member slidable relative tothe socket element, a rod carried by said member, links'pivotally connecting the levers and rod, work grasping means, cables connecting the frame and work grasping means, second cables connecting the work grasping means and levers, and means associated with the rod for giving slack to the second cable to release the grasping means from the work.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signa tures.

MAURICE HENRI LEMAIRE. LOUIS PAUL GUILBERT. 

